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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1545-1569)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from June 1545 to July 1569, in the reigns of Mary queen of Scots and king James VI, was edited by John Hill Burton, Historiographer Royal for Scotland, and published under the direction of the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in 1877. Some of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, some of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences. But 'horning' was also used in the pursuit of debts: there was no imprisonment for debt in Scotland, but a creditor could have an obstinate debtor ordered, in the sovereign's name, to pay what was due, failing which, the debtor could be put to the horn, denounced as a rebel, and imprisoned as a rebel. In his preface to this volume, Burton remarked that "There might perhaps be objections to the abundance of names of persons and places unknown to fame; but it was considered that in such a work the proper names of all persons and places occurring in the Register should be preserved, to be at the service of genealogical as well as historical investigators".

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1569-1578)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from July 1569 to June 1578, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by John Hill Burton, Historiographer Royal for Scotland, and published under the direction of the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in 1878. Some of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, some of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences. But 'horning' was also used in the pursuit of debts: there was no imprisonment for debt in Scotland, but a creditor could have an obstinate debtor ordered, in the sovereign's name, to pay what was due, failing which, the debtor could be put to the horn, denounced as a rebel, and imprisoned as a rebel.

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners: excluded names
(1569-1578)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from July 1569 to June 1578, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by John Hill Burton, Historiographer Royal for Scotland, and published under the direction of the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in 1878. Some of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, some of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences. But 'horning' was also used in the pursuit of debts: there was no imprisonment for debt in Scotland, but a creditor could have an obstinate debtor ordered, in the sovereign's name, to pay what was due, failing which, the debtor could be put to the horn, denounced as a rebel, and imprisoned as a rebel. In his preface to the first volume, Burton remarked that "There might perhaps be objections to the abundance of names of persons and places unknown to fame; but it was considered that in such a work the proper names of all persons and places occurring in the Register should be preserved, to be at the service of genealogical as well as historical investigators". But by this, second, volume, he decided that complete coverage was impractical, with "the crowding in of proper names, all but a few being the names of obscure persons ... Borderers are called up in considerable groups, and ordered to find, or recorded as having found, sureties for giving compensation to persons plundered, or for good conduct for the future. Several burgesses are sometimes entered in a minute about a Corporation quarrel. When the particulars of unimportant private litigations are omitted, the names remain." He therefore devised this 'Index of Names excluded from the Text', giving name, conditions, and date in register.

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1578-1585)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from 17 June 1578 to 31 July 1585, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by David Masson, and published under the direction of the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in 1880. Some of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, some of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences. But 'horning' was also used in the pursuit of debts: there was no imprisonment for debt in Scotland, but a creditor could have an obstinate debtor ordered, in the sovereign's name, to pay what was due, failing which, the debtor could be put to the horn, denounced as a rebel, and imprisoned as a rebel. The main text (to page 762) is from the Acta Secreti Concilii, containing the minutes of the Privy Council, and of occasional Conventions of the Estates. After that are printed some miscellaneous Privy Council documents from the same years. The sources most productive of names, the Acta Cautionis and Registration of Bands, are also the most repetitive in form, and are not transcribed verbatim and literatim: nevertheless, one of the editor's rules was for 'All proper names and names of places occurring in the originals to be preserved in the abstracts without exception, and in the exact original spelling.'

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1585-1592)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from 1 August 1585 to 31 July 1592, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by David Masson, and published under the direction of the Lord Clerk Register of Scotland in 1881. Some of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, some of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences. But 'horning' was also used in the pursuit of debts: there was no imprisonment for debt in Scotland, but a creditor could have an obstinate debtor ordered, in the sovereign's name, to pay what was due, failing which, the debtor could be put to the horn, denounced as a rebel, and imprisoned as a rebel. The main text (to page 774) is from the Acta Secreti Concilii, containing the minutes of the Privy Council, with intermixed Acta Proper (political edicts), Decreta (judicial decisions), Acta Cautionis (acts of caution) and Bands (registration of bonds). After that are printed some miscellaneous Privy Council documents from the same years: additional acts of caution (775-778); ordinances and acts anent the Borders and the North (779-814); and miscellaneous privy council papers (815-834). The sources most productive of names, the Acta Cautionis and Registration of Bands, are also the most repetitive in form, and are not transcribed verbatim and literatim: nevertheless, one of the editor's rules was for 'All proper names and names of places occurring in the originals to be preserved in the abstracts without exception, and in the exact original spelling.'

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1592-1599)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from August 1592 to May 1599, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by David Masson and published under the direction of the Deputy Clerk Register of Scotland in 1882. The publication brings together the contents of the principal register (Acta Secreti Concilii) with acts and bands (bonds) of caution (surety) from the registers called Acta Cautionis (pp 561-730); Acts and Ordinances relating to the Borders and the North (731-748); and Miscellaneous Privy Council Papers (749-769). Many of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, many of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences.

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Scottish litigants, rebels and cautioners
(1610-1613)The Privy Council of Scotland exercised a superior judicial authority in the kingdom, and consequently received and dealt with a constant stream of petitions, as well as dealing with the internal security of the state. This register of the council from July 1610 to February 1613, in the reign of king James VI, was edited by David Masson and published under the direction of the Deputy Clerk Register of Scotland in 1889. The publication starts with the Acta and Decreta, a chronological consolidation of material from Acta Secreti Concilii proper, the Decreta, the Book of Commissions, the Book of Sederunts, the Minute Book of Processes, and The Book of the Isles. There is then a section of Royal and Other Letters (pp. 565-644); then acts and bands (bonds) of caution (surety) from the registers called Acta Cautionis (pp. 647-690); and Miscellaneous Privy Council Papers (693-746). Many of the individuals mentioned are the complainants, those of whom they complained, and the sureties on both sides: at this period, many of the complainants are alleging serious attacks, often of a feuding nature. Many of the bonds entered into by the cautioners are promises to keep the peace towards such enemies. Failure to answer to the council when summoned was a serious contempt, leading to being denounced a rebel, with serious consequences.

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Merchants and traders in Aberdeen
(1399-1631)A. M. Munro searched the council registers of the royal burgh of Aberdeen, and compiled this list of burgesses admited to the borough. The entries prior to 1591 were contained in lists engrossed in the council registers at the close of the minutes for the year ending at Michaelmas, but after that date in addition to the annual lists, which are continued, there is almost always a separate minute of admission under the respective dates. The records before 1591 are not only sparser, often with no more than a name, but are also lacking for 1401-1405, 1413-1432, 1434-1435, 1518-1519, 1557 and 1562-1564 - other blanks were filled in from the guildry accounts where such existed. Guild burgesses were allowed unfettered trading rights in Aberdeen; simple burgesses could only deal in Scottish wares (so being barred from the lucrative English and Flemish imports and exports); trade burgesses were limited to their own particular trades; and the council was able ex gratia to create honourary burgesses, who were accorded the full privileges of burgesses of guild and trade, and among whom numbered members of almost every family of note in Aberdeenshire. Burgesses could thus be created by descent, by apprenticeship into a trade, or ex gratia, and in the later portions of this roll the precise circumstances are usually given, sometimes also with the name of a cautioner or surety. Burgesses, masters and cautioners are all indexed here.

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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London Marriage Allegations
(1611-1660)London, Essex and part of Hertfordshire lay within the diocese of London. In the later 17th century the individual archdeaconry courts issued marriage licences, but for this period the only surviving material is from the overarching London Consistory court. The main series of marriage allegations from the consistory court was extracted by Colonel Joseph Lemuel Chester, and the text was edited by George J. Armytage and published by the Harleian Society in 1887. A typical later entry will give date; name, address and occupation of groom; name, address and condition of his intended bride, and/or, where she is a spinster, her father's name, address and occupation. Lastly we have the name of the church where the wedding was going to take place. For the later years Colonel Chester merely picked out items that he thought were of interest, and his selections continue as late as 1828, but the bulk of the licences abstracted here are from the 17th century.

CLELAND. Cost: £4.00.

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Official Papers
(1682)The State Papers Domestic cover all manner of business relating to Britain, Ireland and the colonies, conducted in the office of the Secretary of State as well as other miscellaneous records.